Throttle lever for a snowmobile

Abstract

A snowmobile has a frame, a tunnel, an endless drive track, at least one ski, an engine, a handlebar being pivotable about a steering axis, a first throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the first throttle lever being disposed on a first side of the steering axis, and a second throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the second throttle lever being disposed on a second side of the steering axis. A throttle lever assembly is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A snowmobile comprising:
 a frame, the frame including:
 an engine compartment; and 
 a tunnel rearward of the engine compartment; 
 
 an endless drive track disposed below the tunnel for propelling the snowmobile; 
 at least one ski operatively connected to the frame; 
 an engine disposed in the engine compartment, the engine being operatively connected to the endless drive track; 
 a handlebar operatively connected to the at least one ski, the handlebar being pivotable about a steering axis; 
 a mountain strap connected to the handlebar; 
 a first throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the first throttle lever being disposed on a first side of the steering axis, the first throttle lever being normally biased away from the handlebar to a first throttle lever normally biased position, the first throttle lever being pivotable toward the handlebar away from the first throttle lever normally biased position; and 
 a second throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the second throttle lever being disposed on a second side of the steering axis, the second throttle lever being normally biased away from the handlebar to a second throttle lever normally biased position, the second throttle lever being pivotable toward the mountain strap away from the second throttle lever normally biased position, 
 the mountain strap having a first end connected to the handlebar between the steering axis and the first throttle lever and a second end connected to the handlebar on the second side of the steering axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the second throttle lever is disposed adjacent to the mountain strap such that when a hand of a user of the snowmobile grasps the mountain strap the hand of the user is in a position to pivot the second throttle lever toward the mountain strap. 
     
     
       3. The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the first throttle lever is a right throttle lever and the second throttle lever is a left throttle lever. 
     
     
       4. The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the handlebar further comprises grip portions disposed on the first and second sides of the steering axis. 
     
     
       5. The snowmobile of  claim 4 , wherein the second throttle lever and the mountain strap extend vertically above central axes of the grip portions. 
     
     
       6. The snowmobile of  claim 4 , wherein the second throttle lever and the mountain strap extend rearwardly with respect to a vertical plane crossing a central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis. 
     
     
       7. The snowmobile of  claim 4 , wherein the second throttle lever comprises:
 a first portion extending vertically above a central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis, the first portion comprising a surface adapted for applying a force to move the second throttle lever; and 
 a second portion extending vertically below the central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis, the second portion being operatively connected to a cable, the cable being operatively connected to a throttle body, the throttle body fluidly communicating with the engine. 
 
     
     
       8. The snowmobile of  claim 2 , wherein the second end of the mountain strap is disposed between the second throttle lever and the steering axis. 
     
     
       9. The snowmobile of  claim 2 , wherein the second throttle lever is disposed between the second end of the mountain strap and the steering axis. 
     
     
       10. A snowmobile comprising:
 a frame, the frame including:
 an engine compartment; and 
 a tunnel rearward of the engine compartment; 
 
 an endless drive track disposed below the tunnel for propelling the snowmobile; 
 at least one ski operatively connected to the frame; 
 an engine disposed in the engine compartment, the engine being operatively connected to the endless drive track; 
 a handlebar operatively connected to the at least one ski, the handlebar being pivotable about a steering axis; 
 a first throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the first throttle lever being disposed on a first side of the steering axis, the first throttle lever being pivotable toward the handlebar by pivoting the first throttle lever in a first direction, the first throttle lever being normally biased in a second direction opposite the first direction away from the handlebar; and 
 a second throttle lever pivotably connected to the handlebar and operatively connected to the engine, the second throttle lever being disposed on a second side of the steering axis, the second throttle lever being pivotable toward the handlebar by pivoting the second throttle lever in the first direction, the second throttle lever being normally biased in the second direction away from the handlebar. 
 
     
     
       11. The snowmobile of  claim 10 , wherein the first direction is a counter-clockwise direction. 
     
     
       12. The snowmobile of  claim 10 , further comprising a mountain strap connected to the handlebar. 
     
     
       13. The snowmobile of  claim 12 , wherein the second throttle lever is disposed adjacent to the mountain strap such that when a hand of a user of the snowmobile grasps the mountain strap the hand of the user is in a position to pivot the second throttle lever toward the mountain strap. 
     
     
       14. The snowmobile of  claim 10 , wherein the first throttle lever is a right throttle lever and the second throttle lever is a left throttle lever. 
     
     
       15. The snowmobile of  claim 12 , wherein the handlebar further comprises grip portions disposed on the first and second sides of the steering axis. 
     
     
       16. The snowmobile of  claim 15 , wherein the second throttle lever and the mountain strap extend vertically above a central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis. 
     
     
       17. The snowmobile of  claim 15 , wherein the second throttle lever and the mountain strap extend rearwardly with respect to a vertical plane crossing a central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis. 
     
     
       18. The snowmobile of  claim 15 , wherein the second throttle lever comprises:
 a first portion extending vertically above a central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis, the first portion comprising a surface on which a user of the snowmobile applies a force to pivot the second throttle levers; and 
 a second portion extending vertically below the central axis of the grip portion disposed on the second side of the steering axis, the second portion being operatively connected to a cable, the cable being operatively connected to a throttle body, the throttle body fluidly communicating with the engine. 
 
     
     
       19. A throttle lever assembly comprising:
 a housing having an opening adapted for receiving a handlebar of a vehicle, the opening defining a central axis, the handlebar of the vehicle which the opening of the housing is adapted to receive having a mountain strap connected thereto; and 
 a throttle lever pivotally connected to the housing, the throttle lever being movable between a first position and a second position, the throttle lever being normally biased toward the first position, the throttle lever comprising a surface adapted for at least one finger of a hand of a user to apply a force to move the throttle lever toward the second position, the surface being perpendicular to the central axis when the throttle lever is in the first position, the throttle lever being adapted to be pivoted toward the mountain strap using the at least one finger of the user while a hand of the user having the at least one finger is grabbing the mountain strap. 
 
     
     
       20. The throttle lever assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the throttle lever comprises:
 a first portion extending from a first side of the central axis, the first portion comprising the surface; and 
 a second portion extending from a second side of the central axis, the second side being opposite to the first side, the second portion being adapted for connection to a throttle body fluidly communicating with an engine of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       21. The throttle lever assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first portion further comprises a recess adapted to receive a portion of the handlebar. 
     
     
       22. The throttle lever assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first portion further comprises a bevelled edge. 
     
     
       23. A method of driving a snowmobile comprising:
 grabbing a left end of a handlebar of the snowmobile with a left hand, the handlebar being operatively connected to at least one ski of the snowmobile and being pivotable about a steering axis; 
 grabbing a right end of the handlebar with a right hand; 
 actuating a first throttle lever using at least one finger of the right hand while grabbing the right end of the handlebar with the right hand, the first throttle lever being connected to the handlebar on a right side of the steering axis; 
 releasing the right hand from the right end of the handle bar; 
 grabbing a left end of a mountain strap with the right hand, the mountain strap being connected to the handlebar, the left end of the mountain strap being disposed on a left side of the steering axis; and 
 actuating a second throttle lever using at least one finger of the right hand while grabbing the left end of the mountain strap with the right hand, the second throttle lever being connected to the handlebar on the left side of the steering axis. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein actuating the second throttle lever using at least one finger of the right hand includes actuating the second throttle lever using a thumb of the right hand. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , further comprising actuating a lever of a brake control assembly using at least one finger of the left hand while grabbing the left end of the handlebar with the left hand, the lever of the brake control assembly being connected to the handlebar on a left side of the steering axis.